(1) FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to utensils for separating cooperating shells member of bivalve mollusks, and more particularly to a knife utensil for forcibly separating the shell members of oysters to expose the meat portion therein.
(2) DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
The efficacious separation of the shell members of bivalve mollusks has been a long sought desire from the time whereat the meat portion of bivalve mollusks were found to be of epicurian delight. Solutions have included utensils which usually separate such shell member but also may be used to sever the muscle connected to the shell members with subsequent meat removal. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,991,466 to Smith, there is disclosed a dual purpose spoon and oyster knife utensil comprised of a handle having a blade shaped with curved spoon section serrated at opposed sides thereof with a knife section projecting therefrom along an axis of the blade. While capable of achieving a desired result, the knife portion suffers from the lack of efficacion penetration between the shell members as well as to provide adequate forces for facile separation of the shell members after penetration.